Improved clothes-bar



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOSEA WILLARD, OF VERGENNES, VERMONT.'

IM PROVED CLOTH ES-BAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,456, dated February 1S, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HosEA WILLARD, of Vergennes, in the county of Addison and State of Vermont, have invented a new and lmproved Clothes-Bar; and I do hereby declarel the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichj Figure l represents the clothes-bar by .a plan, and Fig. 2 by'a section taken at the line of Fig. l. l

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to construct a clothes-bar capable of being distended, so as to adapt it for supporting a large or small quantity of clothes for drying, and which when not desired for use can be folded up into a compact form, so as to occupy but little room.

To enable others skilled in the-art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

This clothes-bar is designed to be attached to and depend from the side of a building, wall, or a post.

A represents a bracket, the projecting portionD of which is of semicircularform,and has depending radially from its under side a number of stirrups d a, which are attached equidistant apart and project beyond the horizontal portion of the bracket. These stirrups support the bars B B- from near their inner ends by means of staples Z9 b, whichl inclose the pivot or round foot c of the stirrup, and after passing through the bars are fastened on the opposite side thereof, either by riveting, by screw-nuts, or in any other suitable manner. j

The bars B, from which the articles to be dried are suspended, are made of graduallytapering form from their innerends outward. The hinged joint, by which the bars are attached in the stirrup, admits of their being turned down to a vertical position, the butt or inner ends ot' the bars coming in contact with the under side of the projecting portion of the bracket, preventing their further `descent, thus forming a rack of horizontal radial bars, from which the clothes are suspended for drying. The circular edge of the bracket has recesses formed in it to allow the bracket A, and is furnished with a number y of notches in its outer edge, corresponding in number with the bars, in which notches the vfront or outer ends of the bars rest when in a closed condition to relieve the pivots cfrom lateral strain.

The bracket A is strengthened on its upper side by a knee, which is cast with and forms a part of it.

The clothes-bar being shut up, to adapt it for drying clothes the bars are turned down to a horizontal position one at a time as fast as the preceding bars are filled. When not required for use, it folds up into a small compass and can easily be adjusted for drying a large or small quantity of clothes, as may be desired. When folded, the bars being in an upright position, they are not liable to warp or injury by exposure in damp and rainy weather.

No fastening is required to retain the bars either in a closed or open condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The construction of the bracket A, with a projecting shelf D and stirrups a, substantially as herein shown and described, in com bination with the bars B, whereby the inner ends of the bars B will bear against the shelf D, which will resist the Weight placed upon the bars and keep them in a horizontal. position, all as set forth.

2. The arrangement of the bars B to fold toward and radiate from a common center, in combination with the bracket A', as herein shown and described.

HOSEA WILLARD.

Witnesses:

W. G. BIXBY, J. E. ROBERT. 

